ACT FOUR

INT. WHITE HARBOR – ROYAL TENT – NIGHT

Daenerys and Jon have retreated from the waning festivities. Daenerys leads him to their marriage bed. She slips her dress open and places Jon’s hand on her breast. She kisses him.

JON SNOW

I should have stopped him. I knew that sword was important. Why else would he take it?

DAENERYS TARGARYEN

Shhh. Jon. Please.

JON SNOW

He has what might be the only weapon that can defeat him. I may as well have handed it to him myself.

Daenerys moves Jon’s hand so it covers her stomach.

DAENERYS TARGARYEN

Jon. Just for one night, can we forget? Can this night be for us?

Jon pulls her to him and they kiss. Daenerys helps him undress.

They move to the bed without breaking their kiss, both of them naked now. Jon takes a breath.

JON SNOW

My Queen.

They make love for the first time as man and wife, all thoughts of danger gone.

INT. WHITE HARBOR – WAR TENT – DAY

Jon and Daenerys have gathered their trusted advisors. Brandon Stark has the floor.

BRANDON STARK

The Night King marches on King’s Landing.

JAIME LANNISTER

He just struck Winterfell. Would it not take him longer to reach the South?

BERIC DONDARRION

The Dead never rest. It marches onward; so must we.

BRANDON STARK

The Army of the Dead has left the South untouched. They have ceased to kill.

JON SNOW

Then the Night King is headed to King’s Landing for a reason.

DAENERYS TARGARYEN

What could he possibly want there more than anywhere else?

DAVOS SEAWORTH

King’s Landing is the most populated city in the Seven Kingdoms. He could want more soldiers.

Varys steps forward from the shadows.

VARYS

My lords, my birds tell me the queen has become unhinged. She and her Hand are collecting infants.

JORAH MORMONT

Cersei prepares for the end of days by stealing babes from their mothers’ arms?

DAVOS SEAWORTH

Unhinged is one word for it.

SANSA STARK

Gilly told me that beyond the Wall, her father Craster–- [sacrificed his sons to the White Walkers.]

JON SNOW

–-left his newborn sons as offerings for the White Walkers. Aye, I saw it myself.

BRIENNE OF TARTH

In exchange for what?

JON SNOW

Protection.

The room is silent.

JAIME LANNISTER

This is madness.

ARYA STARK

That’s Cersei.

SANSA STARK

Jon showed her one of those creatures and she decided not to fight on the side of the living.

Jaime looks crestfallen by the truth.

JON SNOW

All the more reason to sail for King’s Landing immediately. If we can intercept him there and prevent Cersei’s offering, we may have a chance at defeating him.

DAVOS SEAWORTH

Pardon, Your Grace, but our injured need time to heal. The men aren’t ready.

DAENERYS TARGARYEN

I hear your concerns, Ser Davos. Many of the injured are my own people. We must still leave immediately. The Night King will not wait, and neither shall we.

JON SNOW

I know what Daenerys and I are asking of you all. If any of you wanted to pack your things and leave I would not blame you. But I look around and see the faces of good, honest men and women. I see the faces of people I never thought I’d call my allies, or my friends. We do this for those who have been lost, and for those who still live. Are you with me?

ARYA STARK

Always.

SANSA STARK

Always.

JAIME LANNISTER

For those who have been lost.

JORAH MORMONT

I will follow my queen till the end of my days.

BRIENNE OF TARTH

Lady Stark, I am at your command.

DAVOS SEAWORTH

I’ve been away from King’s Landing for far too long. A homecoming is in order.

BERIC DONDARRION

Aye. The War for the Dawn begins.

JON SNOW

We sail at sunrise.

The war council disbands.

EXT. WHITE HARBOR – DAY

With their distinctive black and red sails, the Targaryen ships look formidable as they wait for the Unsullied and others to transport supplies and wounded in smaller boats.

EXT. BALERION – DECK – DAY

Daenerys and Jon stand at the bow of the largest ship. BALERION.

DAENERYS TARGARYEN

This was not how I imagined taking King’s Landing.

JON SNOW

We haven’t taken it yet.

DAENERYS TARGARYEN

I seem to remember you rallying our allies.

JON SNOW

I’ve learned to take my battles one at a time.

Daenerys takes Jon’s hand and looks out to the sea again.

EXT. BOAT – SAILING – DAY

An Unsullied steadies a wooden boat as the last of the remaining survivors load onto the ship. Davos and Jorah assist them.

JORAH MORMONT

That should be the last one. All passengers are on board.

DAVOS SEAWORTH

Not all of them.

Jorah looks up toward Davos’s line of vision.

EXT. BALERION – DECK – DAY

Jon remains at the bow. Survivors flock to the side of the ship, looking back at the shore. Jon walks over to see…

…on the dock, Northerners and Wildlings wait for transport. Lyanna Mormont locks eyes with Jon, a smile on her face.

JON SNOW

     (yelling)
Send more boats to shore!

Daenerys joins Jon.

DAENERYS TARGARYEN

They came for you.

JON SNOW

They came for us, to defeat the Army of the Dead.

DAENERYS TARGARYEN

They came for you, the King in the North.

Daenerys kisses his cheek, but there is sadness in her touch. Jon accepts her kindness, knowing it’s cutting her inside.

EXT. BALERION – SAILING – DAY

Balerion sets sail for King’s Landing.

INT. BALERION – BELOW DECK – DAY

Sansa tries to sew, but the strong waves make it impossible. She puts her embroidery aside. Arya strengthens her injured hand by doing impressive exercises with her catspaw dagger.

SANSA STARK

I know what you’re thinking.

ARYA STARK

Do you?

SANSA STARK

Cersei.
     (off Arya’s look)
Jaime thinks he can reason with her, but even Tyrion did not succeed in persuading her to choose the right course. And he brought a couple of armies, dragons, and a wight.

ARYA STARK

Even Tywin Lannister’s advice would fall on deaf ears in Cersei’s court.

SANSA STARK

Jon may not be ready to seal Cersei’s fate. But sometimes fate needs a hand.

ARYA STARK

I am at your service, Lady Stark.

SANSA STARK

As if you needed my permission. You have wanted to kill Cersei for so long. We all have.

ARYA STARK

I had the chance. I didn’t take it.

SANSA STARK

You’re saying you don’t want to kill her.

ARYA STARK

I want to serve my family. I want to serve the realm. Stopping Cersei does that.

The Hound opens the door and startles Sansa.

SANDOR CLEGANE

What are you birds chirping about?

SANSA STARK

You have a bad habit of entering chambers without warning.

SANDOR CLEGANE

Giving someone a warning was never my way. I like keeping my head on my shoulders.

The Hound sits down and puts his feet on Arya’s bed. She knocks his feet off.

SANDOR CLEGANE (CONT’D)

So how you going to do it? And before you go denying it, I know you want to kill that evil cunt Cersei. You told me as much. And you said her name before you went to sleep, every fucking night.

Arya and Sansa share a look.

ARYA STARK

Why do you think I’d need your help?

SANDOR CLEGANE

Going up against the queen bitch means going up against my thrice-damned brother. And he’d squash your charred little bones like a bug.

ARYA STARK

You think you can best him?

SANDOR CLEGANE

I think I’ll remove his head from his shoulders and squeeze it until his brains ooze onto the floor.

SANSA STARK

Please spare me the details.

Arya nods. She turns to Sandor.

ARYA STARK

It’s time Cersei met the Many-Faced God.

SANDOR CLEGANE

I don’t know what the fuck that means, but they’ll meet our swords soon enough. Rest up. You’ll need your strength.

Sandor leaves Sansa to her futile needlework and Arya to her knife exercises.

INT. KING’S LANDING – THRONE ROOM – DAY

Cersei sits on the Iron Throne, her silver crown adorning her golden head. Qyburn stands before her.

QYBURN

My Queen. Ships have been spotted. Daenerys Targaryen and Jon Snow are coming.

CERSEI LANNISTER

Let them come.

The Mad Queen’s calm confidence scares Qyburn. She is ready for them.

CUT TO BLACK.

END OF EPISODE 804